Total Complaints
24 filings
JEEP CHEROKEE · model year
1985 JEEP CHEROKEE
24 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985JEEPCHEROKEE carries 24 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 CHEROKEE is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 3 filings, followed by seat belts:front:retractor (2) and engine and engine cooling:cooling system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1985 CHEROKEE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
24
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030702STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NORMAL SPEED REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AND TREAD SEPARATED, DAMAGING THE STRUCTURAL UNDERBODY FLOOR PANEL OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
20030702TIRES
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NORMAL SPEED REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AND TREAD SEPARATED, DAMAGING THE STRUCTURAL UNDERBODY FLOOR PANEL OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
20030609TIRES
WHILE DRIVING TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
20030421SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
THE FIREWALL BEHIND THE MASTER CYLINDER RUSTED AND CAUSED THE CYLINDER TO BECOME UNSTABLE THUS AFFECTING THE OPERATION AND PERFORMANCE OF VEHICLE'S CLUTCH. *NLM
20010327SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WOULD BE MAKING A GRINDING NOISE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN WHEEL. BRAKES WERE SPARKING WITHOUT BEING APPLIED. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO SHAKE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP , AND MECHANIC FOUND THAT BRAKE PIN BROKE LOOSE AND GOT CAUGHT.*AK
19990324SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT SHOULDER RESTRAINT PART FAILURE DURING NORMAL USE
19981020FatalSTRUCTURE
VEHICLE ROLLOVER DURING ACCIDENT RESULTING IN DEATH.(ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
19980913VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
HEATER CONTROLS BURN WIRING AND FANS BECOME INOPERATIVE.
19980114LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK
DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH AND HIT A PATCH OF ICE IN THE ROAD , RAN INTO MEDIA LATCH CAME LOOSE AND DOOR FLEW OPEN. *AK
19971003SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT PRIOR TO RECALL.
19970306SEATS
FAILURE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT, THE SEAT HAS BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FRAME OR THE TRACK OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE SEAT ON TWO OCCASIONS. *AK
19960722EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE. *SD
19960722POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SD
19960722ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP REPLACED. *SD
19960722UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WATER LEAK IN THE FRONT FLOORBOARD. *SD
19960722SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT SEAT BELT LATCHES FAILED. *SD
19960722ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE. *SD
19960722LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK
HATCHBACK LATCH FAILED. *SD
19960708CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19951204SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES JUST FALL APART. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Compare 1985JEEPCHEROKEE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 JEEP CHEROKEE have?▼
The 1985 JEEP CHEROKEE has 24 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 JEEP CHEROKEE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 JEEP CHEROKEE is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM.
Is the 1985 JEEP CHEROKEE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.